[If they have not already, these changes/additions should appear in the blog at some point in the future, hopefully after about two months since the last update of each blog-post in which a change/addition belongs. The date when the last update occurred for each blog post is indicated at the bottom (not the top) of each blog post. Some of the changes/additions may be minor.]
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[[[ Inserted new sec 1 to *Ex. 22:29 ]]]
The sons in Exodus 22:29 were not to be killed, but sanctified (Exodus 13:2) and redeemed (Exodus 34:19-20) by money offerings (Numbers 3:50-51, Numbers 18:15-16).
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[[[ Parags 2-3 of sec 2 of *1 Sam. 17:17 ]]]
Indeed, throughout the Bible, "corn" means "grain", as opposed to what we today call "corn" (maize). For the latter was not brought into the Eastern Hemisphere until the fifteenth century AD, when the Western Hemisphere was discovered and the corn there was seen as a great food source.
And every part of the Bible was written long before the fifteenth century AD, and only by people living in the Eastern Hemisphere.
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[[[ Parag 2 of *1 Kin. 7:9 ]]]
Perhaps this is also the origin of what we today call "coping", in the sense of being able to handle things, get on top of them, instead of being weighed down helpless beneath them.
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[[[ Last sentence of *2 Chr. 33:1 ]]]
Compare how we still die because Adam's sin made humans mortal (Romans 5:12), even though we have been purged from our sins as Christians (1 John 1:9).
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*Ezra 2:63 -
"Tirshatha" (H8660) can mean "Governor".
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*Ezra 9:11-14 -
See the "enmity" section of Ephesians 2:15 below.
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[[[ Sentence 2 of *Job 38:25 ]]]
(And it is the splitting of the very atoms of the air by the extreme heat of lightning which creates the sound of thunder.)
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[[[ Added below *Job 41:26 ]]]
(Regarding Leviathan being literal, and being Satan, see section 2 of Revelation 13 below)
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*Psalms 18:8-9 / *Ps. 18:8 -
This can be fulfilled literally at Jesus Christ's future, Second Coming (2 Thessalonians 1:7-10).
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*Psalms 41:9 / *Ps. 41:9 -
(Re: Means that Jesus trusted Judas? John 13:18b)
No, for Jesus Christ never trusted any man (John 2:24-25). And for good reason (Luke 22:34, Isaiah 2:22). In Psalms 41:9 the original Hebrew word (batach: H0982) translated as "trusted" can refer to being "bold" (Proverbs 28:1), in the sense of not fearing. That is, even though Jesus knew from the beginning that Judas would eventually betray Him (John 6:64b), He did not fear Judas (cf. Hebrews 13:6).
(Compare Luke 10:19 below)
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*Psalms 75:1 / *Ps. 75:1 -
The original Hebrew word (shem: H8034) translated as "name" can mean "authority" (Strong's Hebrew Dictionary). Compare the English phrase: "Stop in the name of the law", which can mean: "Stop in obedience to the authority of the law".
When Psalms 75:1 says: "for that thy name is near thy wondrous works declare", it can mean that YHWH's wondrous works declare His authority as the Almighty God to do as He pleases (Daniel 4:35).
Also, compare Matthew 6:9, where "thy name" can include YHWH's authority, just as it can include His reputation, and his literal names of "YHWH" (Psalms 100:3), "God" (Amos 5:27), and "Father" (Matthew 6:9).
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*Isaiah 3:1-7 / *Isa. 3:1 -
This can refer to the ruin of Jerusalem in 586 BC.
For the current Jerusalem will not be ruined (and by all nations) until right before Jesus Christ's future, Second Coming (Zechariah 14).
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[[[ Last parag of *Isa. 28:9 ]]]
Also, compare how Jesus Christ qualified the verse in Matthew 4:6 (Psalms 91:12) with the verse in Matthew 4:7 (Deuteronomy 6:16). When Jesus said: "It is written again" (Matthew 4:7), He was referring to the principle of Isaiah 28:9-10. For in Matthew 4:7 the original Greek word (palin: G3825) translated as "again" can mean "furthermore" (Strong's Greek Dictionary).
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*Isaiah 28:13 / *Isa. 28:13 -
This refers only to those without the baptism of God's Holy Spirit in Isaiah 28:11-12.
(See Isaiah 28:11 and Isaiah 28:9 above)
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*Isaiah 57:12 / *Isa. 57:12 -
This means that works will not profit us if we are in unrepentant sin (Isaiah 57:9-12).
(See Hebrews 10:26 below)
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*Matthew 7:7 / *Mt. 7:7 -
(Re: Election)
Not all people can seek. For on our own, we would never seek God (Romans 3:11).
God has to miraculously cause elect people to do that (John 6:44).
Nonelect people can never do that, for they are not even the children of God (John 8:42-47).
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[[[ Sec 2 of *Mt. 7:21 ]]]
(Re: Were the Jews who were casting out demons in Matthew 12:27 saved?)
They were saved in the Old Testament sense (Habakkuk 2:4b). For they were Jews who were casting out demons by faith in the power of YHWH God, not Satan.
Also, one needs to be saved in the New Testament sense to cast out demons in the name of Jesus Christ, as in Matthew 7:22 and Mark 16:17. For non-Christian Jews trying to do that can fail (Acts 19:13-17).
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[[[ Inserted as sec 2 of *Mt. 25:26 ]]]
(Re: Are not those who cannot do good works not condemned, such as babies, the insane, and paraplegics?
Anyone who has faith can do good works, such as praying and the giving of alms (Acts 10:4).
But note that babies do not have faith.
And if someone is too insane to do good works, then he is too insane to have faith.
Also, paraplegics can do good works. For how many works require the use of one's legs? And how many of those works which do require the use of one's legs cannot be done instead through the use of a wheelchair?
That is, if paraplegics can even race each other and play basketball in wheelchairs, then how many works cannot they do?
And even quadriplegics can do good works, such as praying, preaching, and giving alms.
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*Luke 5:5-6 / *Lk. 5:5 -
This brings to mind that we are wasting our time doing something if God is not in it (Psalms 127:1, John 15:5b).
(See also section 3 of Luke 11:1 below. But also note Philippians 2:13 below)
And if God is in a work, then it cannot fail, ultimately (Daniel 4:35).
(Compare Luke 10:19 below)
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*Luke 5:10b / *Lk. 5:10b -
Compare what Matthew 13:47-49 says.
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*Luke 5:11 / *Lk. 5:11 -
(They forsook all)
See Luke 14:33 below
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*Luke 5:20 / *Lk. 5:20 -
(He saw their faith)
He saw it by their actions (James 2:18c) in Luke 5:18-19, which they would not have done unless they had believed that Jesus could heal, like the leper just before had believed (Luke 5:12-13).
(See also the "healing" section of 1 Corinthians 12:8 below. And compare Mark 8:23 above)
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*Luke 5:21 / *Lk. 5:21 -
And yet they were the ones blaspheming God, by rejecting Jesus, who is God.
(See John 1:1 below. Also, compare Mark 3:29 above)
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*Luke 5:22 / *Lk. 5:22 -
(Jesus perceived their thoughts)
Compare section 2 of Mark 13:32 above. Also, see paragraph 3 of section 7 of Luke 22:36b below.
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*Luke 5:26 / *Lk. 5:26 -
(Strange things)
The original Greek word (paradoxos: G3861) translated as "strange things" is made up of two words which can mean "near" (para: G3844) and "glory" (doxa: G1391).
So what the people had seen could be not "strange" things in the sense that we would use that word today, but things which had revealed that God's glory was near to them in the miraculous workings of Jesus Christ. Compare what Luke 10:9, Matthew 12:28, and Luke 11:20 say.
Similarly, our English word "paradox", as in something which we cannot make sense of, can be understood in the light of Isaiah 55:8-9.
(See Isaiah 55:9 above)
Also, note that the people in Luke 5:26 had "fear" (phobos: G5401). For if God's glory was near, then what could happen to them as sinners? Compare the apostle Peter's response in Luke 5:8 to the miracle by Jesus in Luke 5:4-7.
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*Luke 14:32 / *Lk. 14:32 -
(Re: Luke 14:33)
Note that Luke 14:32 is not contradicting the requirement placed on every Christian in Luke 14:33 and Luke 14:26-27. For the parables in Luke 14:28-32 mean that people have to realize the full extent of that requirement before they claim to be Christians. Also, the peace in Luke 14:32 is not figurative of peace with God, for Christians do not go forth to make war with God (Luke 14:31-32). Instead, the peace for the king in Luke 14:31-32 is in him not even starting what he was going to do, just as the solution for the tower builder would have been for him to have not even started what he was going to do (Luke 14:28-30). That is, people should not even start claiming to be a Christian before they have performed in full the requirement placed on every Christian in Luke 14:33 and Luke 14:26-27. And if they are one of the relatively few people who are truly chosen by God (Matthew 22:14), then this will be easy for them to do (Matthew 11:30). That is, when they hear Jesus Christ say to them: "Come and follow Me", they will gladly walk away from everything but the clothes on their back (Mark 1:16-20).
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*Luke 18:35 / *Lk. 18:35 -
Here the original Greek word (eis: G1519) translated as "unto" can mean as Jesus came near "by" (Acts 27:2) a blind man next to Jericho, yet still on Jesus' way out of Jericho (Mark 10:46).
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[[[ Parag 2 of Lk. 24:44 ]]]
So Acts 13:29 must refer only to all that was written in the Old Testament regarding Jesus Christ's suffering and dying for our sins (e.g. Isaiah 53, Psalms 22). Indeed, Acts 13:29 was even before Jesus had resurrected on the third day after His death, which resurrection was also written of Him in the Old Testament (e.g. Acts 26:22-23, Psalms 16:10, Hosea 6:2).
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[[[ Sec 3 of *Jn. 3:36 ]]]
(Re: Does "wrath" in John 3:36 have to mean hell?)
Yes, for in John 3:36b the people who "shall not see life" shall not see everlasting life, as in ultimate salvation.
And the wrath of God "abiding" on them (John 3:36b) refers to the eternal wrath of the lake of fire (Revelation 14:10-11, Revelation 20:10,15).
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*John 6:28-29 / *Jn. 6:28 / *Jn. 6:29 -
This means that for people to work the works of God, they must believe in Jesus Christ. For apart from Jesus, people cannot work any works of God (John 15:5b). And it is God's will that people do works in addition to faith (Ephesians 2:10).
(See also Romans 2:6 below)
Also, John 6:29 can mean, at the same time, that only God can cause people to become believers in Jesus (John 6:65).
(See Romans 9:11 below)
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[[[ Sec 3 of *Jn. 6:63 ]]]
(Re: Means that Communion is spiritual flesh and blood?)
The bread and wine of Communion are Jesus Christ's physical flesh and blood, but the manner by which the bread and wine become His flesh and blood is spiritual, by faith (2 Corinthians 5:7). Otherwise, the bread and wine would cease to appear and taste as bread and wine.
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[[[ Sec 2 of *Jn. 10:28 ]]]
(Re: How can you place any condition on John 10:28 when there is no condition in the verse or its immediate context?)
There does not have to be any condition in John 10:28 itself or its immediate context for there to be conditions placed on John 10:28 by other verses elsewhere in the Bible. For example, compare how Jesus Christ put a condition on the verse in Matthew 4:6 (Psalms 91:12) with the verse in Matthew 4:7 (Deuteronomy 6:16).
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[[[ Sec 2 of *Acts 8:29 ]]]
(Re: Is there any verse that tells us that God gives a gift that is direct communication with Him?)
Besides the personal guidance exemplified by Acts 8:29, which is available to every Christian, there are special gifts of the Holy Spirit given to those who have been Holy Spirit baptized, for the edification of the Church:
1 Corinthians 12:8 For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit;
9 To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;
10 To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues . . .
The underlined gifts refer to various types of information or messages from God which are miraculously given directly to individual Christians to pass on to their congregations during a church service, for example (1 Corinthians 14:26).
(See 1 Corinthians 12:8 below)
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*Acts 13:29 -
See Luke 24:44 above
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*Acts 13:33 must be taken together with Acts 13:34-37, which shows that the resurrection of the Son was foretold not in Psalms 2:7, but in Psalms 16:10.
But His resurrection was the proof that He was the Son (Romans 1:4), just as the Father had said at Jesus' baptism that Jesus was the Son (Mark 1:11).
(See also the "Begotten" section of John 3:16 above)
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[[[ Secs 2-3 of *Acts 17:11 ]]]
(Re: Regarding sola scriptura, did not the Bereans not practice it, because they accepted Paul's authority to teach what the scriptures mean?)
The Bereans did practice sola scriptura, because scripture was the ultimate authority against which even the apostle Paul's teaching had to be tested (Acts 17:11b).
Sola scriptura does not negate human teaching per se (e.g. 1 Corinthians 12:28). It simply means that no human teaching is necessarily true unless it is taught by the Bible itself:
Acts 17:11 . . . and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.
(See also the "Tradition" section of 1 Timothy 3:15 below)
~
(Re: Would the idea of the written law being a sole religious authority have even crossed the Bereans minds?)
Yes, for, insofar as when testing the truth of teachers, a Jew was always to go:
[Isaiah 8:20]
(See also 1 John 2:27 below)
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*Romans 1:17 / *Rom. 1:17 -
Faith must perform works if it is to remain alive (James 2:26). Also, because of free will, faith can be abandoned (Hebrews 6:4-8).
(See the "paramedic analogy" under Ephesians 2:8 below. Also, see Hebrews 6:4 below)
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[[[ Sec 4 of *Rom. 2:6 ]]]
(Re: If I convert on my deathbed, and do not do good works, am I still saved from hell?)
So long as the lack of good works was due to physical disability, instead of wickedness and laziness (Matthew 25:26,30).
But even someone saved on his deathbed will want to do good works, such as praying and the giving of alms, which are highly prized by God (Acts 10:4).
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*Romans 4:4 / *Rom. 4:4 -
This does not apply to the ultimate salvation of those who are already Christians, for a master does not go into debt to his servant (Luke 17:10).
For Christians do not become the employees of Jesus Christ, but must become His willing servants/slaves (doulos: G1401) (Revelation 1:1), forsaking everything that they have (Luke 14:33).
(See also Luke 17:10 above)
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*Romans 4:8 / *Rom. 4:8 -
This applies only so long as we repent from our sins (Hebrews 10:26-29) and confess them to God (1 John 1:9).
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*Romans 9:12 / *Rom. 9:12 -
Esau served Jacob, de jure, as soon as he sold his birthright to Jacob (Genesis 25:33).
Later, Jacob acted like a servant before Esau only one time (Genesis 32:3-5), out of fear for his life (Genesis 27:42b).
But when he realized that Esau no longer wanted to kill him (Genesis 33:4), he in no way served him, but even lied to him and completely avoided him (Genesis 33:14-20).
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*2 Corinthians 1:20 / *2 Cor. 1:20 -
(Re: Means that we await nothing?)
No, for we await our physical resurrection (Romans 8:23-25), which promise is made possible in Christ (1 Corinthians 15:22).
Also, we await the Millennial reign of Christ (Revelation 20:4-6), which He will make possible at His future, Second Coming (Revelation 19:7 to 20:6).
(See the "After the Second Coming" section of Revelation 20:4 below)
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[[[ Sec 3 of *Eph. 2:8 ]]]
(Re: Is the New Covenant different from the Old in that it is not a contract, but a loving relationship?)
Note that these are not mutually exclusive, just as a marriage can be a contract in addition to a loving relationship.
With regard to the New Covenant, the original Greek word (diatheke: G1242) translated as New "Covenant" in Hebrews 8:8, for example, means "a contract" (Strong's Greek Dictionary).
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*Philippians 3:9 / *Philip. 3:9 -
This contrasts non-Christian, Mosaic-law-keeping with Christian faith. It is not contradicting the necessity of works of faith for ultimate salvation (Romans 2:6-8; 1 Thessalonians 1:3).
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[[[ Parag 1 of *Col. 2:6 ]]]
Here, "walk" can be figurative of good works in addition to faith (Matthew 7:21), just as "walked" in Colossians 3:7 is figurative of sinful works (Colossians 3:5-7).
Also...
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[[[ Sec 2 of *1 Jn. 2:27 ]]]
(Re: So the Holy Spirit is necessary here, not sola scriptura?)
Sola scriptura does not negate the Holy Spirit's teaching of Christians (1 John 2:27) through His scriptures (Ephesians 6:17; 2 Timothy 3:15 to 4:4). It simply means that no human teaching is necessarily true unless it is taught by the Bible itself (Acts 17:11b).
(See also Acts 17:11 above)
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[[[ Sec 2 of *1 Jn. 4:18 ]]]
(Re: If there is perfect love as a motivation for obedience, then there is no need for fear as a motivation)
If we have "perfect" love for God, then we will have perfect obedience to God (1 John 5:3), which casts out any fear of any impending punishment from God (1 John 4:18).
But we must still have the conditional fear that if we do not continue in God's goodness, then He will cut us off (Romans 11:22).
Otherwise, we have wrongly become "highminded" (Romans 11:20-22).
This would also include those who think that they have "perfect" love for God, when in fact they do not (e.g. Luke 22:33-34).
(For example, see Mark 13:9 above)
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[[[ Sec 2 of *Rev. 2:7 ]]]
{Re: Are you saying that throughout eternity, Christians will endeavor to keep their salvation, and will never have any rest?)
No, for there is rest in obedience (Matthew 11:28-30), while there is no rest in disobedience (Isaiah 57:20-21).
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*Revelation 6:10 / *Rev. 6:10 -
The avenging of the blood of the Christian martyrs of Revelation 6:10 will not occur until the seven vials of God's wrath (Revelation 16), which will not occur until after the reign of the future Antichrist, the individual-man aspect of Revelation's "beast" (Revelation 13:4-21). The third vial is even specifically referred to as an avenging of the blood of the Christian martyrs (Revelation 16:4-7).
For the still-future Christian martyrs referred to in Revelation 6:11b will not be killed by God in His wrath. Instead, it will be Satan and evil men who will kill them in their wrath (Matthew 24:9, Revelation 12:12b, Revelation 20:4b).
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*Revelation 7:3-4 / *Rev. 7:3 -
The original Greek word (sphragizo: G4972) translated as "sealed" can mean to put a mark on something.
Revelation 7:3-4 could refer to a future, physical mark from God which will be placed on the foreheads of the 144,000. For the mark from God will be able to be seen by the future, physical locust-like beings (Revelation 9:4-10).
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Next entry / Prior / Table of Contents
Oct 13, 2018
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[[[ Inserted new sec 1 to *Ex. 22:29 ]]]
The sons in Exodus 22:29 were not to be killed, but sanctified (Exodus 13:2) and redeemed (Exodus 34:19-20) by money offerings (Numbers 3:50-51, Numbers 18:15-16).
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[[[ Parags 2-3 of sec 2 of *1 Sam. 17:17 ]]]
Indeed, throughout the Bible, "corn" means "grain", as opposed to what we today call "corn" (maize). For the latter was not brought into the Eastern Hemisphere until the fifteenth century AD, when the Western Hemisphere was discovered and the corn there was seen as a great food source.
And every part of the Bible was written long before the fifteenth century AD, and only by people living in the Eastern Hemisphere.
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[[[ Parag 2 of *1 Kin. 7:9 ]]]
Perhaps this is also the origin of what we today call "coping", in the sense of being able to handle things, get on top of them, instead of being weighed down helpless beneath them.
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[[[ Last sentence of *2 Chr. 33:1 ]]]
Compare how we still die because Adam's sin made humans mortal (Romans 5:12), even though we have been purged from our sins as Christians (1 John 1:9).
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*Ezra 2:63 -
"Tirshatha" (H8660) can mean "Governor".
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*Ezra 9:11-14 -
See the "enmity" section of Ephesians 2:15 below.
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[[[ Sentence 2 of *Job 38:25 ]]]
(And it is the splitting of the very atoms of the air by the extreme heat of lightning which creates the sound of thunder.)
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[[[ Added below *Job 41:26 ]]]
(Regarding Leviathan being literal, and being Satan, see section 2 of Revelation 13 below)
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*Psalms 18:8-9 / *Ps. 18:8 -
This can be fulfilled literally at Jesus Christ's future, Second Coming (2 Thessalonians 1:7-10).
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*Psalms 41:9 / *Ps. 41:9 -
(Re: Means that Jesus trusted Judas? John 13:18b)
No, for Jesus Christ never trusted any man (John 2:24-25). And for good reason (Luke 22:34, Isaiah 2:22). In Psalms 41:9 the original Hebrew word (batach: H0982) translated as "trusted" can refer to being "bold" (Proverbs 28:1), in the sense of not fearing. That is, even though Jesus knew from the beginning that Judas would eventually betray Him (John 6:64b), He did not fear Judas (cf. Hebrews 13:6).
(Compare Luke 10:19 below)
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*Psalms 75:1 / *Ps. 75:1 -
The original Hebrew word (shem: H8034) translated as "name" can mean "authority" (Strong's Hebrew Dictionary). Compare the English phrase: "Stop in the name of the law", which can mean: "Stop in obedience to the authority of the law".
When Psalms 75:1 says: "for that thy name is near thy wondrous works declare", it can mean that YHWH's wondrous works declare His authority as the Almighty God to do as He pleases (Daniel 4:35).
Also, compare Matthew 6:9, where "thy name" can include YHWH's authority, just as it can include His reputation, and his literal names of "YHWH" (Psalms 100:3), "God" (Amos 5:27), and "Father" (Matthew 6:9).
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*Isaiah 3:1-7 / *Isa. 3:1 -
This can refer to the ruin of Jerusalem in 586 BC.
For the current Jerusalem will not be ruined (and by all nations) until right before Jesus Christ's future, Second Coming (Zechariah 14).
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[[[ Last parag of *Isa. 28:9 ]]]
Also, compare how Jesus Christ qualified the verse in Matthew 4:6 (Psalms 91:12) with the verse in Matthew 4:7 (Deuteronomy 6:16). When Jesus said: "It is written again" (Matthew 4:7), He was referring to the principle of Isaiah 28:9-10. For in Matthew 4:7 the original Greek word (palin: G3825) translated as "again" can mean "furthermore" (Strong's Greek Dictionary).
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*Isaiah 28:13 / *Isa. 28:13 -
This refers only to those without the baptism of God's Holy Spirit in Isaiah 28:11-12.
(See Isaiah 28:11 and Isaiah 28:9 above)
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*Isaiah 57:12 / *Isa. 57:12 -
This means that works will not profit us if we are in unrepentant sin (Isaiah 57:9-12).
(See Hebrews 10:26 below)
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*Matthew 7:7 / *Mt. 7:7 -
(Re: Election)
Not all people can seek. For on our own, we would never seek God (Romans 3:11).
God has to miraculously cause elect people to do that (John 6:44).
Nonelect people can never do that, for they are not even the children of God (John 8:42-47).
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[[[ Sec 2 of *Mt. 7:21 ]]]
(Re: Were the Jews who were casting out demons in Matthew 12:27 saved?)
They were saved in the Old Testament sense (Habakkuk 2:4b). For they were Jews who were casting out demons by faith in the power of YHWH God, not Satan.
Also, one needs to be saved in the New Testament sense to cast out demons in the name of Jesus Christ, as in Matthew 7:22 and Mark 16:17. For non-Christian Jews trying to do that can fail (Acts 19:13-17).
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[[[ Inserted as sec 2 of *Mt. 25:26 ]]]
(Re: Are not those who cannot do good works not condemned, such as babies, the insane, and paraplegics?
Anyone who has faith can do good works, such as praying and the giving of alms (Acts 10:4).
But note that babies do not have faith.
And if someone is too insane to do good works, then he is too insane to have faith.
Also, paraplegics can do good works. For how many works require the use of one's legs? And how many of those works which do require the use of one's legs cannot be done instead through the use of a wheelchair?
That is, if paraplegics can even race each other and play basketball in wheelchairs, then how many works cannot they do?
And even quadriplegics can do good works, such as praying, preaching, and giving alms.
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*Luke 5:5-6 / *Lk. 5:5 -
This brings to mind that we are wasting our time doing something if God is not in it (Psalms 127:1, John 15:5b).
(See also section 3 of Luke 11:1 below. But also note Philippians 2:13 below)
And if God is in a work, then it cannot fail, ultimately (Daniel 4:35).
(Compare Luke 10:19 below)
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*Luke 5:10b / *Lk. 5:10b -
Compare what Matthew 13:47-49 says.
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*Luke 5:11 / *Lk. 5:11 -
(They forsook all)
See Luke 14:33 below
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*Luke 5:20 / *Lk. 5:20 -
(He saw their faith)
He saw it by their actions (James 2:18c) in Luke 5:18-19, which they would not have done unless they had believed that Jesus could heal, like the leper just before had believed (Luke 5:12-13).
(See also the "healing" section of 1 Corinthians 12:8 below. And compare Mark 8:23 above)
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*Luke 5:21 / *Lk. 5:21 -
And yet they were the ones blaspheming God, by rejecting Jesus, who is God.
(See John 1:1 below. Also, compare Mark 3:29 above)
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*Luke 5:22 / *Lk. 5:22 -
(Jesus perceived their thoughts)
Compare section 2 of Mark 13:32 above. Also, see paragraph 3 of section 7 of Luke 22:36b below.
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*Luke 5:26 / *Lk. 5:26 -
(Strange things)
The original Greek word (paradoxos: G3861) translated as "strange things" is made up of two words which can mean "near" (para: G3844) and "glory" (doxa: G1391).
So what the people had seen could be not "strange" things in the sense that we would use that word today, but things which had revealed that God's glory was near to them in the miraculous workings of Jesus Christ. Compare what Luke 10:9, Matthew 12:28, and Luke 11:20 say.
Similarly, our English word "paradox", as in something which we cannot make sense of, can be understood in the light of Isaiah 55:8-9.
(See Isaiah 55:9 above)
Also, note that the people in Luke 5:26 had "fear" (phobos: G5401). For if God's glory was near, then what could happen to them as sinners? Compare the apostle Peter's response in Luke 5:8 to the miracle by Jesus in Luke 5:4-7.
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*Luke 14:32 / *Lk. 14:32 -
(Re: Luke 14:33)
Note that Luke 14:32 is not contradicting the requirement placed on every Christian in Luke 14:33 and Luke 14:26-27. For the parables in Luke 14:28-32 mean that people have to realize the full extent of that requirement before they claim to be Christians. Also, the peace in Luke 14:32 is not figurative of peace with God, for Christians do not go forth to make war with God (Luke 14:31-32). Instead, the peace for the king in Luke 14:31-32 is in him not even starting what he was going to do, just as the solution for the tower builder would have been for him to have not even started what he was going to do (Luke 14:28-30). That is, people should not even start claiming to be a Christian before they have performed in full the requirement placed on every Christian in Luke 14:33 and Luke 14:26-27. And if they are one of the relatively few people who are truly chosen by God (Matthew 22:14), then this will be easy for them to do (Matthew 11:30). That is, when they hear Jesus Christ say to them: "Come and follow Me", they will gladly walk away from everything but the clothes on their back (Mark 1:16-20).
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*Luke 18:35 / *Lk. 18:35 -
Here the original Greek word (eis: G1519) translated as "unto" can mean as Jesus came near "by" (Acts 27:2) a blind man next to Jericho, yet still on Jesus' way out of Jericho (Mark 10:46).
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[[[ Parag 2 of Lk. 24:44 ]]]
So Acts 13:29 must refer only to all that was written in the Old Testament regarding Jesus Christ's suffering and dying for our sins (e.g. Isaiah 53, Psalms 22). Indeed, Acts 13:29 was even before Jesus had resurrected on the third day after His death, which resurrection was also written of Him in the Old Testament (e.g. Acts 26:22-23, Psalms 16:10, Hosea 6:2).
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[[[ Sec 3 of *Jn. 3:36 ]]]
(Re: Does "wrath" in John 3:36 have to mean hell?)
Yes, for in John 3:36b the people who "shall not see life" shall not see everlasting life, as in ultimate salvation.
And the wrath of God "abiding" on them (John 3:36b) refers to the eternal wrath of the lake of fire (Revelation 14:10-11, Revelation 20:10,15).
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*John 6:28-29 / *Jn. 6:28 / *Jn. 6:29 -
This means that for people to work the works of God, they must believe in Jesus Christ. For apart from Jesus, people cannot work any works of God (John 15:5b). And it is God's will that people do works in addition to faith (Ephesians 2:10).
(See also Romans 2:6 below)
Also, John 6:29 can mean, at the same time, that only God can cause people to become believers in Jesus (John 6:65).
(See Romans 9:11 below)
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[[[ Sec 3 of *Jn. 6:63 ]]]
(Re: Means that Communion is spiritual flesh and blood?)
The bread and wine of Communion are Jesus Christ's physical flesh and blood, but the manner by which the bread and wine become His flesh and blood is spiritual, by faith (2 Corinthians 5:7). Otherwise, the bread and wine would cease to appear and taste as bread and wine.
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[[[ Sec 2 of *Jn. 10:28 ]]]
(Re: How can you place any condition on John 10:28 when there is no condition in the verse or its immediate context?)
There does not have to be any condition in John 10:28 itself or its immediate context for there to be conditions placed on John 10:28 by other verses elsewhere in the Bible. For example, compare how Jesus Christ put a condition on the verse in Matthew 4:6 (Psalms 91:12) with the verse in Matthew 4:7 (Deuteronomy 6:16).
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[[[ Sec 2 of *Acts 8:29 ]]]
(Re: Is there any verse that tells us that God gives a gift that is direct communication with Him?)
Besides the personal guidance exemplified by Acts 8:29, which is available to every Christian, there are special gifts of the Holy Spirit given to those who have been Holy Spirit baptized, for the edification of the Church:
1 Corinthians 12:8 For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit;
9 To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;
10 To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues . . .
The underlined gifts refer to various types of information or messages from God which are miraculously given directly to individual Christians to pass on to their congregations during a church service, for example (1 Corinthians 14:26).
(See 1 Corinthians 12:8 below)
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*Acts 13:29 -
See Luke 24:44 above
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*Acts 13:33 must be taken together with Acts 13:34-37, which shows that the resurrection of the Son was foretold not in Psalms 2:7, but in Psalms 16:10.
But His resurrection was the proof that He was the Son (Romans 1:4), just as the Father had said at Jesus' baptism that Jesus was the Son (Mark 1:11).
(See also the "Begotten" section of John 3:16 above)
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[[[ Secs 2-3 of *Acts 17:11 ]]]
(Re: Regarding sola scriptura, did not the Bereans not practice it, because they accepted Paul's authority to teach what the scriptures mean?)
The Bereans did practice sola scriptura, because scripture was the ultimate authority against which even the apostle Paul's teaching had to be tested (Acts 17:11b).
Sola scriptura does not negate human teaching per se (e.g. 1 Corinthians 12:28). It simply means that no human teaching is necessarily true unless it is taught by the Bible itself:
Acts 17:11 . . . and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.
(See also the "Tradition" section of 1 Timothy 3:15 below)
~
(Re: Would the idea of the written law being a sole religious authority have even crossed the Bereans minds?)
Yes, for, insofar as when testing the truth of teachers, a Jew was always to go:
[Isaiah 8:20]
(See also 1 John 2:27 below)
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*Romans 1:17 / *Rom. 1:17 -
Faith must perform works if it is to remain alive (James 2:26). Also, because of free will, faith can be abandoned (Hebrews 6:4-8).
(See the "paramedic analogy" under Ephesians 2:8 below. Also, see Hebrews 6:4 below)
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[[[ Sec 4 of *Rom. 2:6 ]]]
(Re: If I convert on my deathbed, and do not do good works, am I still saved from hell?)
So long as the lack of good works was due to physical disability, instead of wickedness and laziness (Matthew 25:26,30).
But even someone saved on his deathbed will want to do good works, such as praying and the giving of alms, which are highly prized by God (Acts 10:4).
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*Romans 4:4 / *Rom. 4:4 -
This does not apply to the ultimate salvation of those who are already Christians, for a master does not go into debt to his servant (Luke 17:10).
For Christians do not become the employees of Jesus Christ, but must become His willing servants/slaves (doulos: G1401) (Revelation 1:1), forsaking everything that they have (Luke 14:33).
(See also Luke 17:10 above)
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*Romans 4:8 / *Rom. 4:8 -
This applies only so long as we repent from our sins (Hebrews 10:26-29) and confess them to God (1 John 1:9).
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*Romans 9:12 / *Rom. 9:12 -
Esau served Jacob, de jure, as soon as he sold his birthright to Jacob (Genesis 25:33).
Later, Jacob acted like a servant before Esau only one time (Genesis 32:3-5), out of fear for his life (Genesis 27:42b).
But when he realized that Esau no longer wanted to kill him (Genesis 33:4), he in no way served him, but even lied to him and completely avoided him (Genesis 33:14-20).
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*2 Corinthians 1:20 / *2 Cor. 1:20 -
(Re: Means that we await nothing?)
No, for we await our physical resurrection (Romans 8:23-25), which promise is made possible in Christ (1 Corinthians 15:22).
Also, we await the Millennial reign of Christ (Revelation 20:4-6), which He will make possible at His future, Second Coming (Revelation 19:7 to 20:6).
(See the "After the Second Coming" section of Revelation 20:4 below)
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[[[ Sec 3 of *Eph. 2:8 ]]]
(Re: Is the New Covenant different from the Old in that it is not a contract, but a loving relationship?)
Note that these are not mutually exclusive, just as a marriage can be a contract in addition to a loving relationship.
With regard to the New Covenant, the original Greek word (diatheke: G1242) translated as New "Covenant" in Hebrews 8:8, for example, means "a contract" (Strong's Greek Dictionary).
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*Philippians 3:9 / *Philip. 3:9 -
This contrasts non-Christian, Mosaic-law-keeping with Christian faith. It is not contradicting the necessity of works of faith for ultimate salvation (Romans 2:6-8; 1 Thessalonians 1:3).
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[[[ Parag 1 of *Col. 2:6 ]]]
Here, "walk" can be figurative of good works in addition to faith (Matthew 7:21), just as "walked" in Colossians 3:7 is figurative of sinful works (Colossians 3:5-7).
Also...
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[[[ Sec 2 of *1 Jn. 2:27 ]]]
(Re: So the Holy Spirit is necessary here, not sola scriptura?)
Sola scriptura does not negate the Holy Spirit's teaching of Christians (1 John 2:27) through His scriptures (Ephesians 6:17; 2 Timothy 3:15 to 4:4). It simply means that no human teaching is necessarily true unless it is taught by the Bible itself (Acts 17:11b).
(See also Acts 17:11 above)
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[[[ Sec 2 of *1 Jn. 4:18 ]]]
(Re: If there is perfect love as a motivation for obedience, then there is no need for fear as a motivation)
If we have "perfect" love for God, then we will have perfect obedience to God (1 John 5:3), which casts out any fear of any impending punishment from God (1 John 4:18).
But we must still have the conditional fear that if we do not continue in God's goodness, then He will cut us off (Romans 11:22).
Otherwise, we have wrongly become "highminded" (Romans 11:20-22).
This would also include those who think that they have "perfect" love for God, when in fact they do not (e.g. Luke 22:33-34).
(For example, see Mark 13:9 above)
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[[[ Sec 2 of *Rev. 2:7 ]]]
{Re: Are you saying that throughout eternity, Christians will endeavor to keep their salvation, and will never have any rest?)
No, for there is rest in obedience (Matthew 11:28-30), while there is no rest in disobedience (Isaiah 57:20-21).
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*Revelation 6:10 / *Rev. 6:10 -
The avenging of the blood of the Christian martyrs of Revelation 6:10 will not occur until the seven vials of God's wrath (Revelation 16), which will not occur until after the reign of the future Antichrist, the individual-man aspect of Revelation's "beast" (Revelation 13:4-21). The third vial is even specifically referred to as an avenging of the blood of the Christian martyrs (Revelation 16:4-7).
For the still-future Christian martyrs referred to in Revelation 6:11b will not be killed by God in His wrath. Instead, it will be Satan and evil men who will kill them in their wrath (Matthew 24:9, Revelation 12:12b, Revelation 20:4b).
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*Revelation 7:3-4 / *Rev. 7:3 -
The original Greek word (sphragizo: G4972) translated as "sealed" can mean to put a mark on something.
Revelation 7:3-4 could refer to a future, physical mark from God which will be placed on the foreheads of the 144,000. For the mark from God will be able to be seen by the future, physical locust-like beings (Revelation 9:4-10).
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